TAP Lab (Michigan State University)

Recently, researchers out of UC San Francisco created a detailed auditory cortex activity map from people listening to melodies. Interestingly, when tracking a melody the brain " turns out to be doing two things at once: following the pitch of a note, using two sets of neurons that also follow the pitch of speech, and trying to predict what notes will come next, using a set of neurons that are specific to music."
Researcher Dr. Edward Chang said, "We found that some of how we understand a melody is entwined with how we understand speech, while other important aspects of music stand alone." Read more at

How Our Brains Process Music - Neuroscience News Researchers unlocked how the brain processes melodies, creating a detailed map of auditory cortex activity.

Researchers at the University of Turku recently found music evokes comparable body sensations across cultures, further demonstrating music's universally powerful emotional impact.

Professor Lauri Nummenmaa said "Since these sensations are similar across different cultures, music-induced emotions are likely independent of culture and learning and based on inherited biological mechanisms." Read more at

Music's Universal Impact on Body and Emotion - Neuroscience News A recent study reveals that music's emotional impact transcends cultures, evoking similar bodily sensations globally.